Michelle Larson

While traditionally known as the season to roll up your sleeves and clean, spring’s changing weather patterns and rising utility costs also make it the perfect time to evaluate how efficiently your home is running and what you can do to bring down your bills.

Photo: Michelle Larson for BobVila.com We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Learn More › Smokeless fire pits create an inviting campfire ambience that lets you extend outdoor living well into the evening—all while producing less smoke and ash than traditional models. They’re available in versions that burn gas, wood, pellets, or even biomass (a renewable fuel derived from plants and animals).

As the days get longer and the weather warms up, it simply makes sense to want to spend more time outside. But turning your yard into a functional outdoor living space doesn’t happen overnight or without a little bit of elbow grease. Or does it? With the right additions—a high-end beverage cooler here, some aesthetic solar lighting there—it’s relatively easy to create the deck, patio, or porch of your dreams.